California's two senators are looking forward to a majority of at least 57 members in January, something they say will make it easier for President-elect Barack Obama to move his agenda and maybe prevent the endless gridlock that has plagued Washington for years.

"We no longer have the bare majority,'' said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has her list of priorities well in hand. "The likelihood is very good that we'll pick up some Republicans. What it really means though if we are to really bring this nation together it can only be done in a bipartisan way. It means we all have to move to the middle to do those things that solve basic problems and forget some of the political ideology.''

Three Senate seats - in Alaska, Minnesota and Georgia - remain unsettled so the Democrats could end up with a larger than 57-member majority. They are not expected to win all three, which would give them a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, will be in the middle of Obama's efforts to move on an energy plan as well as his goal to inject money into rebuilding the nation's infrastructure.

For Boxer, a larger majority means more Democrats on this pivotal committee.

"In committee I have just a one-vote margin,'' Boxer said. "This will give us a cushion that we need. Maybe I'll have a lead of two or three. And that goes for all of the committee chairmen. That's important and helpful.

Feinstein chairs the Senate's Rules Committee and will guide the plans for Obama's inauguration.

Neither senator would say definitively whether they want to see the Democrats expel Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman from the caucus.

Lieberman, a Democrat up until 2006, not only endorsed and campaigned for John McCain for president, but lashed out at Obama for his stance on the Iraq war and said the Illinois senator was too inexperienced to lead the nation.

Lieberman currently chairs the Senate's Homeland Security Committee.

"What is very disturbing,'' Feinstein said, is the attacks he made on Obama and his own statement that he is very disappointed in the party and this party doesn't represent him.

"If he really is of that view that he doesn't want to be associated with the Obama program, that's a problem. Now perhaps he'll change his mind,'' Feinstein said, but "we need support to move this program and I think we can all count to 60."

Boxer was reluctant to talk about the Lieberman situation, saying she wanted to wait until the Majority Leader talked to the Connecticut senator, a meeting scheduled for today.

What Boxer would say was that was Lieberman did was "extremely hurtful.''

Both Boxer and Feinstein said the immediate work of Congress will be to get the nation's economic house in order.

"Then we have two wars to deal with,'' Boxer said, referring to Iraq and Afghanistan.

When it comes to global warming, Boxer's signature issue, she believes Obama will use his plans for energy efficiency and alternatives to foreign oil as a way to get the economy on a firmer footing.

"I don't see a conflict between addressing global warming and addressing the economic problems,'' Boxer said. "If you look at California, one of the reasons we're fighting back against this recession is because we have these global warming policies here which means we're putting people to work putting solar roofs on houses who have been laid off from building houses.''

For Feinstein, her personal priority is to shut down the detention center at Guantanamo Bay. Included in the bill she has asked Reid to move right away is a group of measures to change the way prisoners are interrogated.

"I think it's a fundamental bill in terms of restoring our credibility and integrity worldwide,'' Feinstein said. "For me, as somebody who spent eight years on Intelligence (Committee) this is a major priority. I think we need to clean our house in this respect.''

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